Dale Cresap's blog

When you pray, do you have an objective and an outcome in mind, and consider the prayer to be answered if you get what you ask for, and not answered if you don’t? Is it possible that prayer has a purpose beyond getting what you want, and that this can be accomplished even if the prayer isn’t ‘answered’ in the conventional sense? You are changed when you pray. It makes you the type of person who acknowledges God as the answerer of prayers and the rewarder of those who seek him. It increases your faith, trust, and hope. I am not reluctant to grant the requests you make, but there are purposes for prayer beyond provision. 

Do you think that Christians pronounce more curses than witches? Christians may not use the term ‘curse’ in a formally stated invocation, but if the essential elements of a curse are present it has the same effect. James says that the same mouth we use to bless God we also use to curse men who are made in God’s image. This should not be, for just as one fountain cannot give fresh and bitter water, so one mouth should not curse and bless. Your body is my temple and that includes your mouth. Let it be devoted to love and blessing. My disciples observed that I spoke the words of life. If you understand and apply this you can too. 

Do you have a testimony? Everyone who is saved should be able to describe how it happened, not only in broad theological terms, but by their own experience. This personal story can be shared to strengthen the faith of others, and to bring others into faith. Have you made spiritual progress since you were saved? My word describes discipleship which is a full life commitment to follow me. I commissioned my disciples to go and make disciples of all men, and this applies to you as well. How do you go about doing this? You have a testimony of when you were saved. Do you also have a testimony of when you became a disciple? In a manner similar to your salvation testimony, use your discipleship testimony to make disciples. 

Have you ever heard of throwing out the baby with the bathwater? Obviously this is a bad idea, and hence the proverb. In your life as Christian have you encountered those who, well-meaning or not, have added burdensome and useless additions to the true practice of faith? This happened even in the early church as recorded in scripture. Your first calling is to follow me. Many have become discouraged and departed from the faith because of burdens imposed by others and not by me. Ask me for wisdom and discernment to know what to accept and what to reject. Throw out the bathwater. Keep the baby.

Do you think of an evangelist as someone with a special gift and calling that enables them to present the gospel message effectively and win converts into the Kingdom of God? Yet doesn’t every believer know that this task is not reserved for a select few, but is the assignment of all Christians? They refer to the Great Commission, but a careful reading of this passage reveals that after presenting the gospel message you are to make disciples rather than converts. You are correct in seeing a distinction and realizing that this is the more difficult task. How do you do this more demanding task if you are not even an evangelist? The first disciple to make is yourself. 

When you came to me did you expect to have a life with no problems? What did you find instead? That you had problems similar to those around you and to the ones you had before you met me? In addition you find that if you follow me you are more concerned to avoid sin, and no longer have the love and acceptance of the world. Don’t be discouraged, but recalibrate your expectations to realize that a life without problems is not possible or desirable. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but I deliver them out of them all. In the world you shall have tribulation but cheer up, for I have overcome the world. 

You are called to honor and respect all men. Do you find this harder in some cases than others? All are made in my image and that is a strong enough basis to make the effort. This begins with common courtesy and manners. There may be a type of music or spectator or recreational activity that you have no interest in, but those who do take it seriously, and you honor them by doing so yourself when you are around them. People identify strongly with such things, particularly if they don’t identify with me. Be considerate enough to avoid offending them by insulting their interests. 

My word teaches you that when you do good deeds you should not let one hand know what the other is doing. Do you understand that this level of isolation from your own intentions and actions is not possible, especially if it is planned in advance? Yet have you ever been commended by someone for a gesture of kindness that you made without premeditation? You may have done it without thinking because it is intrinsic to your character but someone else saw it and gave you recognition that you were not looking for, and in doing so you fulfilled my commandment. And when I commend the righteous, what do they say? We are unprofitable servants who have only done our duty. 

Have you found that in times of great demands upon you that you can substitute food for sleep, at least in the short term? You know better than to make this a routine life practice. My disciples and I were hungry and I sent them on to get food. When they returned I told them that I had food that they knew not of, for I had been doing ministry to the woman at the well. So at that point was I hungry or not? The passage does not say, and it would be easy to interpret it as an abstract poetic statement that there is spiritual as well as material food. Try fasting to see if you can substitute spiritual for material food.

I promised an abundant life to my followers. Can you see the visible evidence of this in people who life according to Kingdom principles? Don’t you see those who are generous and trusting and loving living lives of opportunity and adventure? Doors seem to open for them in a life with a continually expanding circle of involvement and influence. On the other hand, don’t you see those who are selfish and grasping and fearful living lives that shrink to ever more petty concerns? This stunted and diminished human existence is not my plan for you. What other Kingdom principle is so obviously demonstrated by visible evidence as abundant life?